Mayors vote down resolution to open plenary sessions to public

Mayors vote down resolution to open plenary sessions to public

At the MRC Pontiac council of mayors meeting on March 20, council voted down a resolution that would have opened up parts of their plenary sessions to the public. The resolution was proposed at the previous council meeting in February by Shawville Mayor Bill McCleary. Plenary meetings are typically day-long working sessions held by the mayors a week in advance of the public meetings to discuss and debate the items on the agenda.

The text of the resolution proposed modifying the existing structure of plenary sessions by holding part of them in public. The verdict of the 18 mayors was overwhelmingly against the move, with only McCleary, Colleen Larivière (Litchfield) and Odette Godin (Waltham) voting in favour.

Prior to the vote, MRC Director General Kim Lesage read a statement from Mélanie Guénette, a consultant with the SFPQ, the union representing non-managerial employees at the MRC opposing the opening of plenary sessions.

In response to the statement, McCleary said that the wording of the resolution was not the same as the original he had proposed. He added, “I don’t think we should be bowing down to a union either … I think that they can basically bite me.”

Speaking after the meeting, Mansfield-et-Pontefract Mayor Sandra Armstrong explained her reasoning for voting against the motion.

Lesage added that closed working sessions are the norm for municipal bodies across the province.